


Lifeboat

by bookworlders



Series: keep the waves at bay [1]
Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Grishaverse, Kanej - Freeform, Mutual Pining, Romance, Slow Burn, immediate aftermath of Crooked Kingdom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28910097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookworlders/pseuds/bookworlders
Summary: “I’d give you the world if I could.” Kaz’s ungloved fingers flexed, aching to reach out to her. He’d never spoken so candidly with her, but her flushed cheeks and content smile pulled the truth out of him.“I don’t want the world, Kaz.”Crooked Kingdom aftermath the night Kaz brings Inej's parents to Ketterdam.
Relationships: Kaz Brekker & Inej Ghafa, Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa
Series: keep the waves at bay [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2120298
Comments: 2
Kudos: 85





	Lifeboat

Kaz heard the sound of Inej’s melodic Suli drifting down the stairs as she spoke with her parents.

He sat in a gilded armchair in the Van Eck mansion drawing room next to the ornate emerald fireplace. The embers were dying after their evening of dining and talking.

It had been a long day since meeting Inej at dawn at the docks. He hadn’t had the chance to speak with her alone since then.

Inej had spent the day with her parents around Ketterdam and settling them at Van Eck mansion. He’d arrived that evening for the full feast of roast meat, potatoes and lavish pastries Wylan had ordered from the kitchen to welcome Inej’s parents. Kaz spent dinner watching her from the opposite end of the dining table, laughing with her parents and telling Jesper and Wylan stories of caravan life in Ravka. 

Wylan had been a gracious host and set Inej’s parents up in the Van Eck master bedroom. 

“Might be best to bring some good energy into that room,” Wylan had muttered under his breath when Kaz had asked him if the Ghafas could reside at the mansion.

He heard Inej bid her parents goodnight from the second landing. He didn’t hear her descend the steps, but he felt her presence when she entered the drawing room. 

Kaz rose from his chair, turning his back to the fire. Inej stood before him, the dying embers casting shadows across her face. 

She wore a simple black tunic. Her hair was half up, half down, with elegant plaits decorating the crown of her head. They stood, facing each other. 

“Your hair...it’s different,” Kaz spoke, breaking the silence between them.

Inej blushed, her hand immediately smoothing her dark tresses, “My mother did it—”

“I like it.”

She smiled. The Van Eck mansion was full tonight with Wylan, Jesper, Inej’s parents, and the servants, but the darkness of the drawing room and warm light from the fire made Kaz feel like they were alone. He felt their breathing fall in sync as it always did when they stood together.

Kaz watched her and followed her gaze to his leather gloves on the end table to his bare hands at his side. She looked up at him and he felt his gaze wrenched to her wide brown eyes by some unknown force.

“Kaz,” she started. She stood close enough that he felt her breath on his face as she spoke. “I don’t know how to begin to thank you for today. My boat, my _parents._ ” Her voice broke.

“I’d give you the world if I could.” Kaz’s ungloved fingers flexed, aching to reach out to her. He’d never spoken so candidly with her, but her flushed cheeks and content smile pulled the truth out of him. 

“I don’t want the world, Kaz.” She met his gaze, lips parted. Kaz could feel her warm body heat radiating from her. He slowly lifted his hand to her cheek, letting his palm barely graze her skin. Kaz’s breath hitched as the water and cold threatened to rise. 

_Sunshine, warmth, golden._

He pressed his hand flush against her brown skin, cupping her face. Inej grasped the lapels on his black jacket with a gasp.

Kaz focused on the warmth of her skin against his hand, the rise and fall of her breathing, and her heartbeat. 

_Alive_ . _Inej was alive._ The sunshine burned away the waves. Inej was his lifeboat keeping him afloat. 

She was frozen under his touch, her eyes locked with his.

“Oh—sorry, I didn’t know you were in here.”

Kaz wrenched his hand back and Inej lept away from him, turning to see Wylan standing in the entrance of the drawing room, his cheeks flushed to match his red curls. “Um, Jesper brought out some _kvas_ if you want to join us, but, uh—anyway, goodnight!” He scurried away and Kaz swore he heard Jesper chuckling down the hall. 

Kaz cleared his throat, turning to Inej, “I should get back to the Slat soon.”

“No,” Inej took a step towards him, “Please, stay.” 

“I—”

“If you can’t give me the world, at least give me this. Stay.” Inej stood up straighter, the plaits in her hair like a tiara on her head.

Kaz couldn’t help but smile. He sighed, “Anything for you, Wraith.”

“Anything?” A playful smile played at her lips, “You’re going to regret saying that.”

“I regret nothing,” Kaz quickly brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, “And besides, after I’m through with this city, I _will_ be able to give you the world.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just reread this series & Kanej lives in my mind rent-free. I could read about their relationship develoment forever


End file.
